The goal of this lesson is to bring together students around their stories of differences and similarities. The most authentic community is one in which people can find common ground while still retaining what is distinct about themselves. Engaging. Fun. Illuminating.

Objectives of this lesson plan :

To create a sense of community in the classroom;

To use storytelling as a way for students to learn about one another’s differences

To use storytelling as a way for students to discover their similarities

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Create and Celebrate Your Classroom Community!

As teachers, we are always trying to find ways to honor diversity even as we build community in our classrooms. We all know how important it is to learning to have a community of students who like, support, and work well with one another. We offer a lesson plan—Sticking Together: Sharing Our Stories—that uses storytelling to bring your students together as a community while simultaneously honoring their differences. Unlike debating about issues of diversity, which assumes that someone will “win” and another “lose,” storytelling asks only that we listen to one another. And sharing stories opens people up to one another, allowing for real dialogue and team building.